Operation Crucible

This article is about the police operation to recover stolen metal. For the World War II German operation conducted in December 1940, see Sheffield Blitz.

Operation Crucible is a police-led, multi-agency investigation into the organised theft and unlawful trade of metal in England and Wales.^[1]

Operation Crucible

Duration	Ongoing
Location	England and Wales
Type	Police investigation, Crime prevention
Cause	Organised theft and unlawful trade of metal
Motive	Disrupt and dismantle organised metal theft networks.
Target	Individuals and groups involved in metal theft and trading.
Organised by	Police forces across England and Wales, Multi-agency collaboration
Participants	Police forces, other agencies
Outcome	Ongoing investigations, arrests, disruption of criminal networks
Property damage	Significant financial losses due to metal theft.
Charges	Theft, handling stolen goods, related offences
Police-led, multi-agency investigation.

Police officers searching scrap for stolen metal

Agencies

Involved agencies include:^[2]

• British Transport Police
• Metropolitan Police
• Hertfordshire Constabulary
• Norfolk Constabulary
• Suffolk Constabulary
• Northamptonshire Police
• Leicestershire Police
• Essex Police
• Cambridgeshire Constabulary
• UK Border Agency
• Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs
• Trading Standards
• Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England

See also

• Operation Icarus - Police investigation into the organised theft and black market trade of religious and church artefacts in England and Wales